


Bonding

by nogood_nobody



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M, Lesson Learned, Light Flirting, Stubborn horses, These memories are writing prompt gold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 14:24:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12985953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nogood_nobody/pseuds/nogood_nobody
Summary: "Be sure to take the time to soothe your mount. That's the only way they'll know how you truly feel."There is always a lesson to be learned, and a person more than willing to teach it.





	Bonding

Zelda huffed as her horse one again sidestepped around her as she reached for his saddle. She stepped back, fists on her hips as she studied Daphnes with a glare. The horse merely pinned his ears back in response, snorting before turning away.

“This is ridiculous!” Zelda flung her hands up, exasperation seeping into every word. She was already cross over her father's scolding earlier in the day-Something about how taking another journey around Hyrule so soon after the last was slacking from her devotions. She only appeased him by stating they would be journeying to the Spring of Power along the way.-And her horse’s stubborn refusal to even let Zelda _mount him_ was only adding fuel to the fires of her frustration.

She turned to her right to see Link, her loyal appointed knight - no matter how much she resented it at first - watching from atop his own horse. His face was as stoic as ever, not betraying any emotion, but Zelda knew better. She had learned to read the subtle cues of his expressions, and the soft gleam in his eye could only come from well hidden amusement.

Beneath him, Epona stood still, bending to graze on some of the grass near her hooves. Link seemed to have a unique bond to his horse, treating her more as a friend than a mount. Honestly she was surprised at how fit Epona was considering all the treats he’d slip her. Zelda never expected a bond like that with Daphnes, but _Goddesses,_ was a bit of obedience too much to ask for?

“Are you going to sit there laughing at me all day or are you going to help me reign in this blasted horse?” Her hands returned to her hips as she rose a brow at Link. They had been getting along much better since her encounter with-and subsequent rescue from-the Yiga, so Link knew there was no real bite behind her words. Letting a small smile flicker across his face, he smoothly dismounted Epona, gave her a soft pat on the neck, and made his way over.

“I wasn’t laughing,” He said as he moved towards Daphnes.

“You underestimate how well I can read your expression _Hero,”_ The term used to be spat like an insult. Now it held more fondness than was likely proper for a princess to show to her knight.

Link didn’t respond as he reached for Daphnes. The horse pinned his ears back at the approach, but Link merely began patting his neck, murmuring gentle words to him. Zelda watched, somewhere between awed and annoyed, as Daphnes quickly stilled under Link’s ministrations.

Link turned to her and nodded his head towards the saddle. Zelda approached slowly, watching Daphnes expression carefully. The last thing she wanted was to be kicked and thrown out of commission before the journey even started. Daphnes watched her approach but didn’t react beyond a slight tilt of his ears. Link continued to stroke him as Zelda grabbed the saddle, placed her boot in the stirrup, and hauled herself up.

Link removed his hand and looked at her “Give him a pat,” he said.

Zelda huffed, still somewhat annoyed he had calmed her mount so easily, “For what? Being a prat?” Daphnes snorted beneath her and made a sudden shift, causing Zelda to cling tighter to the reigns and glare down at him.

“He only behaved that way because of you, Princess.” Link’s face remained impassive as he said this, even when hers showed blatant shock.

“Because of-! How is his refusal to listen to me _my_ fault!?” Zelda didn’t know if her shock came from the words Link had spoken, or from the fact he spoke them at all. He had never been one to speak against her, so to outright blame her for something left her rather stunned.

Link answered evenly, “You’re frustrated, Princess. When you tried to mount him he could sense that. He thought it was towards him and so he reacted accordingly. If you let him know he’s not the one you’re cross with, he’ll behave.”

Had he ever spoken so many words at once before? Probably not.

Zelda sighed, “I suppose that makes sense,” she conceded. She had never really thought about her horse's ability to read her emotions before, but in hindsight it did make quite a lot of sense. On the days when she could leave the castle without a lecture from her father she felt nothing but joy at the opportunity for freedom and exploration. On those days, Daphnes had been wonderfully well behaved. On days like this, he would always give her trouble. She had thought it was just the Goddesses adding one more issue to her life, but she now realised it stemmed from her own emotions.

Zelda frowned, that was hardly fair to Daphnes, now was it? Link watched on as she reached down to stroke along his neck, murmuring, “I apologize Daphnes, none of this is your fault. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you, even subconsciously.” As she withdrew her hand Daphnes’ head swung around to follow it. Zelda froze, half expecting a bite. What she got instead was a gentle nuzzle before he once again faced forward.

Zelda beamed, looking between her horse and Link, who also had a small smile on his face. He nodded and walked back to Epona. After he mounted he looked at her and said, “Be sure to take the time to soothe your mount,” He reached down to rub Epona once more. “That’s the only way they’ll know how you truly feel,” He finished.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Sir Knight.” The grin hadn’t left Zelda’s face as she spurred Daphnes forward to pull up next to Epona. With one more rub to his neck, they were off.


End file.
